Gustav has Louisiana on alert: Evacuations Could Start Early as Friday

The National Hurricane Center forecasts Gustav -- the first serious storm to threaten Louisiana since Katrina and Rita -- will grow into a Category 3 hurricane with 120 mph winds by Sunday afternoon, when it is expected to hover about 300 miles south of the Mississippi River's mouth. That forecast places the New Orleans area within the five-day "cone of error," which accounts for expected variation in predictions, and indicates a 5 percent chance of tropical storm force winds -- at least 45 mph -- reaching the city by Sunday afternoon. There is a 5 percent chance of 65 mph winds reaching Plaquemines, St. Bernard and lower Jefferson Parish by the same time. Continue>>>